The Fresh Market Holiday Dinner

Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving holiday. We had a great long weekend- no cooking, plenty of shopping, and GREAT food! How did I manage no cooking and great food on Thanksgiving???? I bought the Fresh Market Holiday Dinner silly! It was fabulous. I ordered the Traditional Holiday Dinner for $79.99. It included a 11-13 lb. rotisserie turkey, 3 lbs. of mashed potatoes, 3 lbs. of dressing, a large turkey gravy, cranberry relish, and a dozen yeast rolls. Of course, we added a few dishes of our own, but WOW what an easy and delicious way to go! I placed the order the week before Thanksgiving and picked it up on the Wednesday before. It all came pre-packaged in a neatly packed box. I slept in on Thanksgiving morning (since I didn't have to cook much), and I had plenty of time to prepare for dinner at 2:00. The turkey required about an hour and a half of cook time in the oven and it was tender, juicy and delicious. It literally fell apart while carving! The dressing was perfectly seasoned and only took about 30 minutes in the oven. I microwaved the mashed potatoes in a covered dish and added some butter. That took about 6 minutes, and they were delicious. The turkey gravy whisked up in a pan in about 5 minutes to a perfect consistency. The yeast rolls baked for about 8 minutes. I poured the cranberry relish in a pretty serving dish and VOILA! Dinner was served! Everything was delicious and super easy to prepare. Also, we had 6 people for dinner. There was plenty of food for everyone and left overs for the weekend. I highly recommend this Holiday Dinner to everyone. If you don't have time for 3 days of cooking and preparation, or you are looking to simplify the holidays and spend more quality time with family and friends, then this is the option for you. I believe this dinner is available through the holiday season. In addition, they have a larger package you can purchase, and you can add additional sides if you choose. Oh... one more thing... y'all might remember that last year I gave the Fresh Market a bad review for their cranberry sauce. I want to make a distinction here. The jarred Fresh Market brand cranberry sauce is awful- that's the one I bought last year. However, the cranberry relish that came with this dinner package was very good. It had an overall tart and citrusy taste with chunks of apple and some orange peel. It gets a thumbs up! Happy Eating to ALL!!!!!

What To Do With Cauliflower??????

Cauliflower is a vegetable that gets little praise. Sometimes, it gets tossed in a vegetable stir fry, or you get a piece in a restaurant with your order of steamed veggies. I have never heard anyone say they LOVE cauliflower. My family won't eat it. Resembling broccoli, you would think the cauliflower would be more popular. However, it is not. I think there are several reasons for this...

1. Cauliflower is ugly. It's white and colorless, and raw or cooked it looks unappetizing. (There are other colors cultivated, like purple and orange, but they are hard to find and still an unusual color.)

2. Cauliflower stinks. Raw or cooked it is smelly.

3. Cauliflower doesn't really taste like anything except cauliflower which no one likes.

For these three reasons, this veggie from the Brassicaceae family, is often overlooked at the market. Even though it's high in fiber, folate, vitamin c, and contains many cancer-fighting phytochemicals, no one I know eats it regularly. A few weeks ago while grocery shopping, I decided to buy a head of cauliflower- knowing full well no one likes it at my house except me. And, truth be told, I don't really like it, but I occasionally eat it because it's a vegetable, and I feel like I don't eat enough of them. So, I brought home the cauliflower. For days I pondered what to do with it... How could I prepare it and trick the family into eating it? Oh, the endless woes of the mother!

I found some recipes online for mashed cauliflower. It is supposed to resemble mashed potatoes and is made much the same way. Why not? It was worth a try. The original recipe called for a blender or food processor for "mashing" the cauliflower. Unfortunately, I don't have either of these appliances. I used to have a blender, but my husband and two kids blew it up trying to make milkshakes with ice cream, candy bars, and Little Debbie Cakes... Sometimes I feel like a single-parent with three children... Anyways, I decided to use an electric hand mixer to do my "mashing". I also added a few ingredients to give this concoction more flavor. The hand mixer gave it the consistency of rice which was good. Everyone loves a rice dish! Here's the recipe. I know it's cauliflower, but just try it. You might like it!

"Mashed" Cauliflower

1 Head of Cauliflower
1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
4 oz. Cream Cheese- Softened
1 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
4 Tbsp. Butter
6 oz. Light Cream (you could substitute heavy cream, whole milk, or even half & half here.)
Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Strip away the green leaves and thoroughly wash the cauliflower. Cut the buds off the head, then cut into smaller pieces. The "white curd" differs from broccoli in that it's not a flower bud. Broccoli doesn't really fall apart much when you chop it up. However, the cauliflower will. Put all of the little white curd pieces and chunks into a medium sized pot filled with enough water to cover. Add the chicken bouillon cube and boil for about 10 minutes. You want it to have a very soft and tender feel. Don't cook any longer because nutritional value will be lost the longer it cooks. (For 10 minutes of boiling, you lose 40-50% of the nutritional value. Any longer and that percentage increases with every minute.) Drain in a colander and return to the pot. Add butter, softened cream cheese and garlic powder. Add the cream and beat slowly on low until it starts to come together. Beat at medium speed (maybe higher) until you get the consistency of "cheesy rice". You may need to add more butter or more/less cream depending on your tastes. Add some fresh ground black pepper (or white pepper if you don't want to see black specks). Cook on low just until heated and slightly reduced, about 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Super Simple Chicken Pot Pie

Hey y'all! I hope everyone reading is doing GREAT! Other than a lack of time to cook dinner, I'm doing fine. I have a very easy recipe for you today. It's Super Simple Chicken Pot Pie and it is quick and delicious! It also can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for cooking later. It's a good one to have in your recipe box for busy days. Best of all, it is a comforting, tasty meal for Fall. My family loves chicken pot pie but making a homemade version on a weeknight after work is daunting. "Ain't nobody got time for that!" So, I have this cheaters version...

Super Simple Chicken Pot Pie

1 Rotisserie Chicken- deboned and chopped (If you have that precious commodity of time, you can cook your own chicken. But why??????)
1 Large can Veg-All
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup with Herbs- (or plain... just roll with it.)
1 Tsp. Seasoned Salt
1/2 Tsp. Dried Thyme
2 Frozen Deep Dish Pie Crusts- (They have to be deep dish or else the filling won't all fit inside.)
Softened Butter- (YES! Real Butter!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Let the pie crusts thaw slightly for about 5 minutes. (You don't want it frozen solid, but you don't want it too warm or the dough will break apart. So, use your judgment.) In a large bowl, mix the chopped rotisserie chicken, DRAINED Veg-All, cream of chicken soup, seasoned salt and thyme. Pour the chicken mixture into one of the pie shells. Gently remove the other pie crust from the tin pan. (GENTLY! Or, it will break and your pie will look deformed- which is totally fine for eating, but people will tell you how ugly it is.) Place it on top of the filled pie crust. Press the edges together using a fork or your fingers to seal the edges and make it look pretty. If there are air pockets just gently pat them down. If the crust tears, use your fingers to seal it up. Use a knife to cut 3 or 4 vent holes in the center. Rub the softened butter over the top of the crust. Put the pie on a cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how golden brown you like it. Toss a salad, and you got a Winner! Winner! Easy Chicken Dinner!

Quick Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

Hello everyone! I hope you are all FABULOUS! I, myself, have been slammed with school starting back. The summer really spoiled me. Sleeping later, less laundry, less cooking, no school activities. Unfortunately, those days are over, and for the next nine months it's back to the grind. I have a simple and quick recipe to share for all the busy Mom's out there (and others too...). It's a boneless, skinless chicken breast recipe. It has some spice and some bacon, so you can't go wrong! Best of all, it cooks in a snap in the oven. So, you will have time to get caught up on the laundry. :)

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts

4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 Slices of bacon uncooked (more if you really like bacon)
Seasoned salt
Chili powder
Fresh ground black pepper
Honey mustard sauce for dipping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Put a raised baking tray over the baking sheet and spray with cooking oil spray. Cut the chicken breasts in half long ways so that you have thick chicken strips. Sprinkle chicken with seasoned salt, chili powder and black pepper. Wrap bacon around chicken strips and secure with toothpicks. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and bacon is crispy and brown. Serve with honey mustard dipping sauce. In addition, you can top with your favorite cheese and melt it in the oven for a few minutes. Steam some veggies and dinner is ready! Fast-tastic!

My Fave Pork Marinade- Lemon, Herb & Gaaaahlic!

Hey y'all! IF you find a sunny day in between all these rainy days and you want to grill, I have a FABULOUS marinade that I use for pork tenderloin or chops. However, it would probably be equally as good on chicken or fish. Are there any Emeril Lagasse fans reading? BAM! I knew there would be! Well, Emeril used to have a bottled marinade called Lemon, Rosemary, and Gaaaaaahhhhlic, or something along those lines, that I LOVED. Naturally, it was discontinued. Sad and distraught, I moped around the kitchen for months, and grilling pork chops plunged me into such a funk that I could not even eat dessert after dinner! Realizing that the madness had to end, I created my own version of Emeril's bottled marinade masterpiece. Here it is:

Lemon, Herb & Gaaaaahlic Marinade

1/4 cup EVOO
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup OJ
1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped gaaaaaahlic (that's how Emeril says it.....)
1 lemon zested and juiced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried rosemary or a couple sprigs fresh (fresh is MUCH better)
1 Tbsp. honey
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients with a fork or whisk and pour over meat of your choice. For pork or chicken, I would marinate overnight. For fish, a few hours should be good.

Notes: If you don't have any OJ, no worries. It can be omitted. Just add a bit more honey. I use a juicer to juice the lemon. This recipe really depends on the lemon juice so get every drop. If you can do that with your brute strength, then OK. I have no upper body strength. Thus, the juicer- which i STILL fight with! If using fresh rosemary, take a big knife, turn it sideways and pound the rosemary a bit. Rosemary is very thick and woody. Pounding it will help loosen it up and release the flavor.

Lighten Up for Spring! Low-Carb Light Bacon and Cheese Quiche

Hey y'all! It's almost time to squeeze into bathing suits. I know... you aren't ready for THAT, are you?!? You've been looking forward to the warm weather and beautiful long summer days, but I bet you haven't thought about the dreaded bathing suit, huh? I most certainly have. I have been trying mine on at least once a week counting every fat roll and sucking things in until I nearly faint from lack of oxygen. So, even though my QR tag over to the right says, "No diets in 2013!"- I am dieting for summer. I'm trying to cut out gluten. You know, get rid of some of the junky carbs that puff you up like a blowfish. I told someone the other day I was eating gluten-free, and they asked, "Are you allergic to gluten?". I said, "Yes, I am. It makes me fat." LOL! OK, on to the new recipe. This is actually a low-carb crustless quiche recipe that I revised to also be light. Low-carb recipes are usually high in fat, and this one was no exception. However, my lightened up version was very tasty. The kids ate it, so that means it must have been good! Here it is:

Low-Carb Light Bacon and Cheese Quiche

8 large eggs
1 1/4 cups light cream
1 1/4 cups 2% shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crisp cooked turkey bacon, crumbled
sea salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8x8 square glass pan with non-stick cooking spray. Beat the eggs with the cream. Add salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese and bacon. Pour into the pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until set in middle and lightly golden brown on top.

Note: If you don't have kids, you could throw almost anything in here: mushrooms, spinach, onions, asparagus, red peppers, leeks. Go crazy! Since I do have children.... I made creamed spinach for a side dish, a tossed salad and had this for a light, early weekend supper. I hope you enjoy.

Allergy Season Rescue! Chicken Tortellini Soup

Hi everyone! I hope you are surviving the pollen. My guess is probably not... You probably have a scratchy throat... watery eyes... stuffy runny noses... sneezing... and your entire family keeps saying, "I think I'm getting sick." Of course, they aren't really getting sick, it's just the pollen- probably. Now don't listen to me and totally ignore some major illness! They could have the flu or pneumonia or something. So, use your judgement, OK?

Now, on to the recipe! I have a great soup recipe for scratchy throats. Something warm and soothing is always good when you feel a bit under the weather, and the best part is that this soup is super easy to make. Hooray, no worries for the cook! Furthermore, unless you are feeding an army, there should be leftovers. Yippee, no cooking tomorrow! Let me add a note here before I give you the recipe: THE THING that makes this soup is the crunchy toasts. If you are planning to skip making the toasts, then don't make my soup! I mean it! Just stop. Go eat can soup. For those of you who ARE gonna make the crunchy toasts, here's the recipe:

Chicken Tortellini Soup

1 large package chicken tenders
1 package fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
2 32 oz. boxes chicken broth
2 cans diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil
1 medium onion finely diced
2 Tbsp. EVOO
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 Tbsp. dried basil
4 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
fresh shredded parmesan cheese
fresh baguette loaf
butter at room temperature ( REAL butter- Calm down! You are only using a little!)

In a large stock pan saute the onion in EVOO until translucent. Add a dash of sea salt and chopped garlic. Saute about 1 additional minute. Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, water and bouillon cubes. Bring to a slow boil. Use kitchen shears to cut chicken tenders into bite-size chunks directly over pot. Add dried basil and fresh ground black pepper. Bring back to a boil and simmer about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Gently add tortellini and boil an additional 10 minutes. At this point, I turn off the heat and let the soup sit there. It thickens, and the tortellini plump up nicely while you make the crunchy toasts!

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice the baguette in 1/2 inch slices and spread with softened butter. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy (GBC). Let these GBC toasts rest for a couple minutes before eating. Also, I recommend taking these GBC toasts to the table. Otherwise, you are gonna wear yourself out going back and forth to the stove for more.

To serve the soup, ladle it into large soup bowls. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese, and put the GBC toasts around the bowl. OMG! Y'all are gonna love those GBC toasts soaked in that yummy soup! Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Recipe: Oyster Yum Yum Sauce

Hey everyone! Long time no post! Sorry. The holidays and new year and kids have had me quite busy. This new recipe I have for you is a good one for steamed oysters. I figured I better get it out while oysters were still in season! It actually would be good with any seafood, cooked any way, because it is reminiscent of Japanese Yum Yum Sauce- you know the mayo sauce at the Japanese restaurant that we all adore? Yes, well Oyster Yum Yum Sauce is a spin-off. I had it at an oyster roast recently. Someone there concocted it, and I fell in love. I literally stole the bowl. It's one of those sauces that you eat and all you can say is... YUM! Thus, the name. I always like to be surrounded by sauces at an oyster roast: melted butter with horseradish, cocktail sauce, ketchup with hot sauce, etc... Variety is the spice of life (let's limit this famous quote to food...). Unfortunately, I was shucking oysters and stuffing my face, so I didn't get the exact proportions. I have had to play with it some. This is the version I like best. However, feel free to adjust these 4 ingredients to your specific tastes. You almost can't go wrong. Hope you enjoy!

Oyster Yum Yum Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise (preferably Duke's)
1/4 cup ketchup (preferably Heinz)
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp hot sauce (preferably Texas Pete / DO NOT USE Tabasco)

Mix all ingredients with a small whisk or fork until smooth. Feel free to adjust ingredients as you like. Cover and refrigerate. Serve chilled with steamed oysters or any seafood dish.